Major Karl Oakman, Division Commander of the South Patrol Division of the Kansas City Police Department, attended our April CID board meeting to explain where things stand in terms of crime in the district. Oakman said the KCPD wants our community to know that we are safe. “Many of you may have seen incidents closer to home on the west side of the South Patrol,” says Oakman. “We want people to know that there is no indication of crime moving to the west side.”

For the past six months, the KCPD has been running extra patrols in our area from 11pm-7am to make sure things are secure. They are doing things like checking doors on businesses and patrolling the surrounding neighborhoods.

In addition to existing officers on scene, a special two-person crew is also patrolling homes in the district. Oakman says the KCPD has seen people walking around streets during the night that do not belong in the neighborhood so the homes patrol lets people know that the KCPD is paying attention in Martin City. Patrolling homes is the two-man crew patrol’s only focus.

Oakman recommends businesses also keep an eye out for suspicious behavior and alert the KCPD to anything strange. “You even need to secure your trash because people hide in trash, and pick from trash for later crimes,” states Oakman.

He cited a story about the Lowes located at 133rd Street and Stateline Road where people had been stealing generators – literally walking right out the front door with them undetected. “Fortunately,” says Oakman, “the CID has the best property crimes detective in the unit on the case, Sgt Rod Gentry!”

Within a few days, the Sgt. Gentry and his crew reviewed surveillance and went to Craig’s List to see if they could find any of them for sale. When they spotted one of the stolen generators, they set up a controlled buy, retrieved the generator back and charged both suspects.

The KCPD is currently keeping an eye on the Phillips 66 in Martin City, who Oakman says is getting hit hard by people stealing air compressors. “It’s just a few groups doing this,” says Oakman. “There’s been an increase in loosely organized juvenile groups and those are the ones primarily creating issues.”

Oakman advises MCCID businesses to start paying more attention to what’s happening on the east side of town because that’s what tends to move into our area next. “You can get more involved before it comes to your district by going to community events on the East side,” says Oakman. He says that’s what the South Patrol is doing, they are looking at the issues holistically, where the whole community is only as good as the bad part of the community.

A big THANK YOU to Major Oakman for his time in presenting to our board and his diligence in keeping our district safe!

*Oakman recommends MCCID businesses contact Sgt. Rod Gentry at the KCPD about any concerns you have about crime in the CID. (816) 234-5555 KCPD South Patrol Division Website